BALLARD, Utah, Sept. 4, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A 34-year-old driver was jailed in Uintah County Saturday after she allegedly struck and killed a juvenile bicyclist in Ballard.
“The juvenile sustained a severe head injury, and life saving measures were being conducted by individuals on scene,” says an affidavit filed by an officer of the Uintah County Sheriff‘s Office.
When the reporting officer arrived, the juvenile had been transported to the Uintah Basin Medical Center. A GoFundMe account identifies the teen victim as Domanic “Dom” Charles Cole.
“I interviewed another bicyclist that was riding with the juvenile, who stated that they were traveling northbound in the southbound lane when a car traveling southbound came off the hill and hit the juvenile,” say charging documents for Monie Rose Manning-Miller, the driver.
“The bicyclist stated that he looked back when he heard the car hit the juvenile and as he looked back he saw the juvenile up in the air above the car and fall to the ground.”
The officer next interviewed Manning-Miller, the affidavit says.
“Monie stated that she tried to avoid hitting the bicyclist but couldn’t go into the northbound lane because there was a car traveling northbound. Monie hit the juvenile on the passenger side of the vehicle and, based on the evidence, it appeared that the juvenile hit the bumper, hood, and the top corner of the passenger side of the windshield.
“While looking inside of the vehicle, I observed a liquor bottle on the back seat and some open beer cans on the back seat passenger floorboard.”
The officer noted an odor of alcohol coming from the woman, and administered a field sobriety test. She performed poorly on multiple tasks, the affidavit says.
“Monie was placed under arrest and handcuffed to the rear. The handcuffs were checked for tightness and double locked. While transporting Monie to Vernal for a blood draw, she became upset and started to kick at my cage and the window as she became disorderly.”
Manning-Miller was arrested at 5:41 p.m. Saturday, her court documents say. She is being held for investigation of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in death, a second-degree felony; and open container/drinking alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor. Any formal charges to be filed will be determined by the Uintah County District Attorney’s Office.
Manning-Miller was ordered held without bail.
The UCSO official noted he had been in touch with the hospital where the juvenile was taken, and that at 11:25 p.m. Saturday, “I received another call from Primary Children’s Hospital informing me that the juvenile passed away.”
Fundraising account
The GoFundMe account says Dom was 15, three days from turning 16. The page says Dom’s heart stopped several times, and he was restarted by medical professionals. He underwent surgery at Primary Children’s Hospital, but ultimately could not be saved, the account says.
“The nurses and staff at Primary’s allowed all family members to come and be with Dom for as long as they could,” the account says. “They told Charles Cole (father) that there was nothing left they could do for him, but to take all the time needed to be with his son and say his final goodbyes. In his final hours, Dom was surrounded by the love of many family members in person and over the phone.”
As in all cases, Gephardt Daily cannot guarantee funds raised will be used for the stated purpose, in this case, funeral costs. To check out the account for yourself, click here.
